For patients at high risk of esophageal cancer, surgical removal of all or part of the esophagus has been standard treatment. But Dr. Gail Darling, Thoracic Surgeon at Toronto General Hospital, is hoping to change that.

Thanks to donor support, Dr. Darling is bringing a groundbreaking treatment called Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to Ontario. Relatively common in Europe and the United States, RFA is a procedure that uses electrical energy to destroy cancerous tissues. It’s less invasive and safer than surgery and more effective for the prevention of esophageal cancer development in high-risk patients — patients like 70-year-old Mr. Ed Provis.

During a regular check up, Mr. Provis was discovered to have dysplasia, a forerunner to cancer. “My brother had cancer of the esophagus and had to have it removed,” says Mr. Provis. “He went through major surgery and eight months of chemo. Thankfully they found it early with me.”

Mr. Provis was referred to Toronto General Hospital where he is participating in the new RFA treatment. If successful, the RFA procedure will enable Mr. Provis’ esophagus to renew itself, avoiding the need for surgery altogether.

“I couldn’t get this kind of care locally,” says Mr. Provis, who travels almost 400 kilometres round-trip for the treatment. “Dr. Darling has all the best credentials that you can ask for.”

Beneficial results from this study will help ensure RFA becomes a standard of care in Ontario fully supported by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. At present, the groundbreaking treatment is made possible entirely by donor support.